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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Offering reward to track down Zaldy Co can be considered—Palace

Offering reward to track down Zaldy Co can be considered—Palace

Published Dec 2, 2025 04:19 pm
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Malacañang said offering a reward in order to track down former lawmaker Zaldy Co "can be considered."
While there has yet to be talks on providing a bounty for the arrest of the resigned solon who is suspected to be in Portugal, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the government may consider doing it, stressing it is a "good suggestion."
"Sa ngayon po, wala pong napag-uusapan sa ganiyan. Pero since nadinig po sa inyo maaari po siguro ikonsidera, pero as of now wala pa pong napag-uusapan tungkol diyan (For now, nothing like that has been discussed. But since we heard it from you, it might possibly be considered, though as of now, nothing has been talked about regarding that)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
"Maganda pong suhestiyon iyan (That is a good suggestion)," she added.
Meanwhile, the Palace official refused to make a comment on the letter of Co to President Marcos, where he claimed that then-Senate president Francis "Chiz" Escudero pushed for the Senate's P150-billion insertion in the proposed 2025 national budget.
Castro said it is difficult to address the claims now, considering that he is not in the country and not ready to face the allegations against him.
"Unang una po, kung ang itinuturo niya po ay Senado mas maganda po siguro na ang Senado mismo ang sumagot nito, kung sinumang particular na tao ang kaniyang binabanggit (First of all, if he is referring to the Senate, it would be better for the Senate itself to respond to this, especially regarding whichever specific person he is mentioning)," Castro said.
"Mas maganda po na maitanong kung ito ay may katotohanan (It would be best to ask whether this is true considering) the fact na Zaldy Co is still not here in the country, he’s not ready to face the Filipino people here in the country, so parang mahirap din naman pong tugunan ito basta-basta (so it’s also difficult to address this matter just like that)," Castro added.
"Hindi natin alam kung anong katotohanan dito. Pero kung sinuman po iyong nabanggit niya na concerned officer from the Senate, mas magandang siya po ang sumagot kung ito po ay may katotohanan (We do not know what the truth is here. But whoever the concerned officer from the Senate is that he mentioned, it would be better for that person to answer whether this is true)," she further stressed.
The Palace official also said that she has no information  yet whether the President has received the said letter.
Co was among the 16 people charged in connection with the flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
On Monday, the government urged overseas Filipinos to take a photo of him in case they see him and report it to Filipino authorities.

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